Two from Valmior - Spain isn't dead to me, after all

Saina Nieminen

Saina Nieminen
Tonight with some chunks of raw fish wrapped in seaweed and rice, we opened a couple from Valmior from Ras Baixas - a straight Albario 2006 and the blend of Albario, Loureiro and Treixadura, Davila 2006. I don't always see eye to eye with my boss when it comes to our preferences in wines, but I think his decision to import Valmior was very nice. The straight Albario is a peachy, ripe, full-on style; the blend is more mineral and elegant, even slightly tight and steely. It is very silly, however, that when I want to drink wines that we import, I have to buy them from our monopoly with outrageous markups instead of straight from us!

The labels are some of the best I have seen, but obviously I won't post a picture of them here.
 
Have tried both Valmior wines and agree, mostly. Quite pleasant, especially the blend, if a bit too glossy and high-tech-feeling for me to start any real celebrations.

Some crazy guy imports them to Santo Domingo and they're on the list at one of the very few restaurants that I frequent. Meanwhile, I'm after any local importer to start bringing in Do Ferreiro or Fefianes so we can finally have some game and I can stop bitching...
 
Mandos is in charge of the label text, but after he did the first one he refuses to tell anyone but Manw what's on the second.
 
originally posted by Otto Nieminen: The straight Albario is a peachy, ripe, full-on style; the blend is more mineral and elegant, even slightly tight and steely..

Interesting. I just bought the straight 07 Albario for a garden party tonight. I had no idea what it was but it sounds like I may prefer the blend from this house. Still, sounds like it should work for the crowd.
 
originally posted by SFJoe:
Stylin'.

what's the pictogram mean? should I know?

I was told once. I'll ask my boss tomorrow since I've forgotten.

originally posted by The Latin Liquidator:
Have tried both Valmior wines and agree, mostly. Quite pleasant, especially the blend, if a bit too glossy and high-tech-feeling for me to start any real celebrations.

Ok, I admit, if I had Do Ferreiro and the other greats available, I might be a bit critical of what you see as overt glossiness. I don't find it distractingly glossy and I don't have other Albarios available, so I shall continue to drink these with pleasure.

originally posted by Rahsaan:
Interesting. I just bought the straight 07 Albario for a garden party tonight. I had no idea what it was but it sounds like I may prefer the blend from this house. Still, sounds like it should work for the crowd.

I'd like to hear how you liked it. I think I've read (here?) that the '07s should be in a crisper style than '06, so I hope you will also enjoy the straight Albario.
 
originally posted by Otto Nieminen:
I'd like to hear how you liked it.

It was fine. I had several glasses (mainly because there was nothing else to drink). A bit soft and I can see why the LL calls the style glossy. I probably won't buy it again but it all depends on individual preferences/costs/etc..
 
We find (at elmundovino.com) Valmior always correct, never outstanding (except perhaps the very good 2006). We are pretty vulgar in that we give the wines numbers, and the 2007 was rated 13.5/20 - there were 15 wines rated ahead of it in one of our four Ras Baixas tastings, and 23 overall. Our favorite for the vintage was Granbazn (green label).
 
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